Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONMARCH 26, 2024, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Robert R.Rappold, Recorder- Treasurer Billie Trump, City Attorney BillFile, and Secretary Susan Miller. Council Members: Janine Bullock, Kevin Price, Robert Dunlap, Tom Sopher, Sherrie Hunter, Bob Canter, andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: Director ofIT BillKelly, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Chief Coughlin ofBFD, Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Director PamFrey, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, Director ofParks & Recreation Leslie Baker, and Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 6:30p.m.The public hadtheoption to jointhemeeting either inperson orlisten byWEB-Xfrom their computer, orlisten byphone, using theweblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgor theCity’sFacebook page. Council dispensed with thereading ofthe minutes from theregular City Council meeting dated March 12,2024, copies of which hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilman Dunlap. OLD BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock acknowledged thatabuilding in Columbia, SC wasnamed after Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis. Councilman atLarge Reedy made amotion tohave a Workshop regarding Seed Sower and Fruits ofLabor’s (FOL) lease agreements prepared ordiscuss thepossibility of selling thebuilding. Themotion was seconded byCouncilman Sopher and unanimously approved byCouncil. The Mayor said JayPhillips (Executive Director ofSeed Sower) andTammy Jordan (President ofFOL) should beat theWorkshop. TheMayor saida Workshop willbescheduled soon. Councilman Dunlap invited the public to attend aWVU Tech Campus Corridor meeting Thursday, March 28th at5:30at 410Neville Street regarding the Streetscape Project. Councilman Sopher said themeeting willbeaquestion and answer type ofmeeting inorder toallow thepublic’sinput. NEW BUSINESS: Nocomments. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mary West asked for help onLarew Avenue with speeding drivers. Christy Lilly requested thattheCity work tofindmore activities andevents for theyouth. She saidalarge sports complex inthe City would be helpful. Councilman Sopher encouraged herto reach outtoCaptain LizBlusiewicz ofthe Salvation Army. Chief Bailey ofthe Beckley Police Department (BPD) said thenewDARE Program isavailable for kids. Tom Mosley asked ifthebuilding located at100Washington Street could be given back totheresidents ofEast Park to utilize asacommunity center. Chris Kincaid said Soaring Hope Animal Rescue willbegiving outvouchers for animals tobespayed orneutered. She said Soaring Hope Animal Rescue partners with Animal Control inRaleigh County. Detlif Ulfers asked the City to match a $5Kdonation made bythe County Commission tohelp with thecost ofgetting animals spayed andneutered. Councilman Dunlap asked ifresidents in City limits have dogs orcats needing this service would qualify oristhisonly for residents oftheCounty. Detlif said that hethinks animals inthe City andCounty quality. Chris Kincaid said that inthe past shepresented avoucher (asaCity resident) anditwashonored without any problems. TheMayor said thatthismay beatopic included intheupcoming Workshop. TheMayor saidthat the City’sadministration isinfavor of matching the $5Kcontribution from the Raleigh County Commission. The Mayor said hethinks theCity contributes about 60K annually totheRaleigh County Humane Society. Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump saidthat theCity isoneof thefinancial supporters ofSoaring Hope. TheMayor asked ifthere wereanyother comments. There were nofurther comments. Council unanimously approved adjournment onamotion made byCouncilwoman Bullock andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at6:55p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer